Aditya chuckled, his expression twisted with a mix of amusement and disgust. His eyes glinted coldly as he watched a scene conjured by the system—a vivid reenactment of some so-called "heroic" saga.
"So, this whole drama was scripted by heaven itself?" he sneered, his voice laced with mockery. "No way! It reeks of the fantasies of some simp, probably imagining himself as the hero who saves the damsel in distress."
His lips curled into a smirk as he continued, "I can practically see him giggling like a fool at the final kiss scene, thinking it's the epitome of romance."
The system's projection faded away, leaving Aditya's eyes filled with a deep-seated revulsion. It was as if he were staring at something foul, a rotting carcass disguised as a beautiful painting.
Meanwhile, down in the grand hall of the Madhuni mansion, an intense discussion was unfolding. The air was thick with tension, as if the very walls were holding their breath.
Young Master Vinay had just questioned the decision to send Anika, the pride of their family, to Aditya's sect. It was a bold move, one that left the patriarch silent, lost in his own thoughts.
Sensing an opportunity, the elder of the Madhuni family stepped forward. His wrinkled face held a carefully crafted smile, but his eyes betrayed the storm brewing beneath his calm facade.
"Young Master Vinay," he began, his tone polite yet firm, "this matter is the business of the Madhuni family. It would be wise for you to mind your own affairs."
Despite his stern words, the elder's gaze kept drifting toward Aditya, gauging his every reaction. He knew the stakes were far higher than Vinay could imagine. It wasn't just about family pride or honor; it was about survival itself.
Befriending Aditya wasn't a betrayal of his family but a calculated move, like a general repositioning his pieces on a chessboard to avoid a certain checkmate.
He understood that making an enemy out of Aditya would be akin to signing a death warrant not just for the Madhuni family but for the entire Yelloro Dynasty.
Aditya, a ruthless figure who could wipe out entire clans with a flick of his wrist, was someone you approached with caution, like a venomous snake that could strike at any moment.
The elder's thoughts raced ahead. If Anika could secure a position in Aditya's sect, perhaps even become a disciple of a powerful elder, their family's influence would soar.
It would be like planting a flag on the highest peak, a symbol that no one could look down upon the Madhuni family ever again. The mere idea of it sent a shiver of excitement down his spine.
As he spoke, his eyes darted between Vinay and Aditya, searching for any hint of approval or disapproval. He knew that a single frown from Aditya could spell their doom, while a smile might lift their fortunes beyond their wildest dreams.
Vinay stood at the center of the room, his chest puffed out, his face flushed with a righteous fervor that could have moved mountains — if only it weren't misplaced. He pointed at Aditya, his eyes aflame.
"What do you mean by calling this your family's business?" he barked, his voice rising like a clarion call. "Lady Anika is my trusted friend! When she's in danger, how could I stand aside? If I don't help her now, how can I ever call myself a man in the future?"
Aditya, lounging in his seat with an air of indifference, watched Vinay with a sly smirk curling at the corner of his lips. He seemed more amused than concerned, his eyes glinting like a predator observing its prey's futile struggle.
"How does being a man relate to barking at someone else's doorstep?" he mused, his voice barely above a whisper but carrying the weight of mockery.
Vinay, oblivious to Aditya's taunt, turned towards Anika, his expression softening as he spread his arms wide as if ready to shield her from the entire world.
"Lady Anika! Do not fear!" His voice echoed through the hall, growing louder as thunder rumbled overhead. "Today, this Vinay will protect you, even if it means waging war against the heavens themselves!"
For a brief moment, the room fell silent, save for the crackling of the storm outside. The gathered nobles exchanged uneasy glances, sensing the escalating tension. Anika, however, remained frozen, her eyes darting between Vinay and Aditya.
The fear that had gripped her heart the night before had not yet loosened its hold, but a new emotion simmered beneath the surface — irritation.
Anika had spent a sleepless night contemplating her fate. Her decision was made; she would follow Aditya, but only on her terms. She had convinced herself to negotiate, hoping to protect at least a sliver of her dignity.
All she wanted was a semblance of control, a promise that he wouldn't touch her, even if she had to surrender her freedom. Yet, here stood Vinay, disrupting her carefully laid plans with his unsolicited heroism.
As Vinay approached her, his steps confident and his hand extended as if to whisk her away to safety, Anika felt her annoyance flare. Her gratitude had quickly evaporated, replaced by a growing irritation.
Her gaze shifted to Aditya. He remained seated, watching the unfolding drama with a detached smile, like a cat watching mice scurry in futile panic. His eyes were distant, unfocused, as though his mind wandered far beyond this petty squabble.
"Young Master Vinay," Anika finally spoke, her voice cutting through the tension like a cold wind. Her tone was calm, controlled, an unexpected shift from the frantic display of emotions she had shown the previous day.
"I am not in any danger here. Please, return to your seat."
Her words were met with stunned silence. The gathered nobles, expecting another outburst, looked on with surprise. The Anika of yesterday — defiant, desperate — seemed to have vanished, replaced by this composed and unyielding version of herself.
Vinay froze mid-step, a look of confusion crossing his face, as if the ground had just shifted beneath his feet.
Vinay, still grappling with Anika's unexpected response, struggled to find his voice. "But… Lady Anika, I thought—"
"You thought wrong," Anika cut him off sharply, her eyes flashing with a hint of her former fire. "I appreciate your concern, but I am not in need of saving."
Aditya's smirk deepened, his eyes flickering with a dark amusement. "Looks like our valiant knight misread the situation," he thought, his expression remaining inscrutable.
The grand hall was filled with murmurs as the past seemed to hang like a cloud over Anika's thoughts.
She could almost feel the weight of the momentary silence that filled her mind. If Vinay had been there yesterday, standing proudly with the same courage, perhaps she would have looked at him differently. Maybe gratitude would have sparked in her heart, or even affection.
But today, the Anika standing in front of these walls was not the same as yesterday. Yesterday, she had been naive, hopeful even. Now, the very thought of Aditya's bloodlust made her legs tremble, her knees weak as if they were no longer her own.
The terror of that moment gnawed at her soul, raw and undeniable.
She could still see the flash of his eyes, the coldness, the venom of his power—an inescapable storm ready to destroy anything in its path. Her father, her proud father, had crumbled under the weight of that force, and the image of his defeated body still lingered in her mind like a nightmare.
There was no room left for defiance. How could she even entertain the thought of opposing Aditya now? The fear that tightened her chest threatened to suffocate her every time she recalled that cold, merciless expression.
Vinay could never understand the depth of what she had witnessed. She tried to shield him, tried to keep him out of the twisted web that Aditya had already spun around her.
But what could she do? How could she explain the brutality that now held her in its grasp? It wasn't that she didn't appreciate his friendship—far from it. But saving him from Aditya seemed like a futile task.
Aditya was no longer a man she could reason with, no longer a man who could be faced down with mere words.
The truth was, everything had changed the moment Aditya had arrived. The trash destiny writen by the heaven itself had been ripped to pieces the moment he was transmigrated into this world.
The cruel humiliation that had shattered the Madhuni family's pride, the venom in his eyes when he had looked down on them—it was as if a stone had been cast into the calm waters of their lives, sending ripples far beyond what they had ever anticipated.
Her will to fight had been crushed, broken like fragile glass underfoot.
Anika's mind was heavy with the realization. Her heart had been broken in the most brutal way, and she no longer sought salvation. She had accepted the path that fate had thrust upon her.